World of Bastion

Hell Conclusion

16

DEC/12

With the destruction of the keystone, a tremendous explosion rocked the capital city of Nightguard in the Land of the Flame Shroud as the Hellgate exploded. Three city blocks were decimated, and the Calirian Empire released a statement that more than 900 souls perished in the inferno. There was no official explanation as to what caused the explosion, but Sage Dethek Marnir speculated that it was tied to the destruction of a key piece of the artifact.

“The gods don’t let Primal go to waste,” he said. “An artifact that has no more use will release that Primal back to its divinity.”

In private ceremonies at Darkstar and Envision, each of you are awarded planar commendation medals for your work in Hell. (Such commendations are bestowed only for heroic actions in the face of certain death and are a pre-requisite for being promoted within the organization. If you have specific questions you’d like to ask your patrons, please email me privately.)

Duke Galvin Crenshaw (CG male human fighter 12/aristocrat 8) offers your adventuring group a land grant in the area of the Land of the Covenant known as the Broken Promises, plus a knighthood. The last adventuring company to get a grant in the area was the Intrepid Four:

After a series of successful battles against the orc tribes of the Orcscreed Hills, the adventuring group established their stronghold atop a plateau in the heart of the Promises. On a cold winter night in 1088, all four members were murdered in their sleep by an unknown assailant. The group’s seneschal took over the castle for a brief period of time, before the Four returned—as vampires. Three of the Four were confirmed as destroyed, but the wizard Celestine escaped. There have been no reports of Celestine in the decades since these battles.

The stronghold is still abandoned—or mostly so—and is the most defensible location in the Broken Promises. Should you clear it, the Duke promises there will be merchants and others that will make the journey to start a new life there.

Promotion through the Nobility looks like this:

Knight: Today
Baronet: When you make the stronghold your own

Baron: When you secure the area around the stronghold

Viscount, then Count, and finally Duke: ??

(Note: This isn’t the start of a Kingmaker campaign. Whether you choose to accept the land grant and challenge of ruling an area of land, it’s unlikely you can continue to survive without your own stronghold and guards. You have powerful enemies now, and the local inn isn’t the safest spot for you.)

Both Darkstar and Envision promise to support you no matter your decision on the land grant.

In other news:

The two Tier operatives you killed in Hell have been resurrected. Barons Grathos and Baroness Melina Rothas have sworn vengeance against you.

Decker: You have been offered a military officer-ship in the Confederation (while being able to maintain your independent adventurer status. Should you accept both it and the land grant, you will known as Knight-Major Decker.

Warden: You’ve received a vision of a majestic open-air draconic cathedral consecrated to Ritesheen.